Self-Initiated Family Therapy Through Storytelling

Weather Reporting in Northern Ontario

Well, it has finally happened: I have become my Grandfather…as in, I listen intently during my morning commute to the weather report, and then scoff, and then discuss with my colleagues the current frigid weather pattern and the incompetency of The Weather Guy. It really sneaks up on you, this mistrusting attitude…but if we mistrust The Weather Guy so much, why are we glued to the Weather Network religiously every night waiting to see if we should be plugging in our cars? It’s funny how people up here pride themselves on being true Canadians, hearty and resilient, we even have special commercials celebrating our Polar Plunges and snow days…but then we complain all winter long about the -32 days, or the -45 windchill. Today was a perfect example: -20 with a -31 windchill this morning that no-one saw coming (it is the end of February, were we really expecting sunshine and lollipops in North Bay?) and a very vague weather alert warning that we may or may not see a snow storm tonight, as The Weather Guy couldn’t tell how the storm was developing or its path. Oh the outrage! The consensus was if The Weather Guy can’t do his job right, he should find another job….more like if The Weather Guy can’t produce a tropical heatwave, he will be held personally accountable for the aggravation it has caused all of Northern Ontario. The remedy to this daily dose of disappointment and frost bite? Stop acting like your Grandfather, and take a page out of your Grandmother’s book: always dress for the weather, and still bring an extra sweater, plug your car in from October – April, keep Kleenex tucked up your sleeve, and give cookies to the first kid from down the street to offer to shovel your driveway…. and take your weather forecast from the thermometer hanging outside your window.